Method of and apparatus for manufacturing gas



No. 625,251. Patented ma I6, I899. H. ELDBIDGE, n. J. CLARK & s. BLUM. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

(Application filed Sept. 29, 1897.) (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet l.

Wilgzsscs jlllorge ys. Z E Z In: "cams wc'rzas c0. PHOYQUTMOH WASHINGTON, r:v c.

No. 625,25I. Patented May |s,, |s99 H. ELDRIDGE, D. J. CLARK & S. BLUM.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

(Application filed Sept. 29, 1897.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

is co. Putnam-no, wanmamn. n cy UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

HILLIARY ELDRIDGE, DANIEL JOHNSON CLARK, AND SYLVAIN BLUM, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS. I

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 625,251, dated May 16, 1899.

Application filed September 29, 1897- Serial No. 653,450. (No model.)

To CLZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, HILLIARY ELDRIDGE, DANIEL JOHNSON CLARK, and SYLVAIN BLUM, citizens of the United States, residing at Galveston, in the county of Galveston and State of Texas,have invented a n ew and useful Method of and Apparatus for Manufacturing Gas, of which the following is a specification.

This invention rel-ates to an electrochemical apparatus designed for producing calcium carbid for use in the manufacture of acetylene gas and for the manufacture of illuminating-gas itself, thus enabling us at the one and the same operation to manufacture calcium carbid in the electrical furnace and to generate a gas suitable for general illuminating purposes.

One object of this invention is to provide a plant in which the heat generated by the electrical furnace or retort to fuse the materials in the manufacture of calcium carbid may be utilized as a means for heating air to be employed in the manufacture of illumi nating-gas.

A further object of the invention is to'provide an apparatus in which acetylene gas may be generated and in which hot air may be carbureted, such operations being performed independently, and said apparatus is so constructed and arranged forservice that the gas produced by carbureted air may be combined with acetylene gas and subsequently intermingling such combined gases by decomposing them, due to the action of heat in the electrical retort or furnace, thereby producing a sists in the method of producing gas and in electrical retort or furnace detached from the gas-making elements of the plant. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view illustrating the construction at the open receiving end of one series of pipes employed in the furnace for heating atmospheric air therein prior to forcing the heated air into the carbureting-tank.

Like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Generally speaking, our plant for manufacturing calcium carbid and illuminating-gas contemplates the employment of an electrical furnace 1, a carbu-reter 2, an acetylene-gas generator 3, a holder or gasometer 4 for the acetylene gas, and a general or storage gasometer 5, all of which are operatively connected together for service in the manner which will be hereinafter fully described.

For the purpose of carrying out the operations of manufacturing calcium carbid at the same time or simultaneously with the manufacture of gas We employ an electrical furnace adapted to fuse the materials to secure the product of calcium carbid and also for heating atmospheric air previous to carbureting the same and for decomposing or fixing a gas consisting either of carbureted air or acetylene saturated with hydrocarbon vapors. The furnace (indicated generally by the numeral 1) is constructed of masonry, as at 6, to provide a chamber 7, and the bottom of this chamber has a cavity '7 to receive the central cathode, consisting of two metallic members 8 8. A metallic rod 9 passes through the brickwork of the furnace and is united at.

its inner end to the cathode, while the outer end of said rod has one conductor 10 of an electric circuit connected electrically thereto. The anode 11 extends vertically through the furnace to have its lower end presented centrally to the cathode, and this anode is a pencil or rod of carbon fitted Within a tubular carrier 12 and clamped securely thereto bya binding-screw 12. A suspension-beam 13 is situated over the furnace, and this beam sustains a fume-collecting hood 14:. On the upper edge of the furnace-wall is rigidly fastened a metallic bearing-plate 15, which supports a series of angular brackets 16, the latter extending upwardly from the furnace and which is fixed a bearing-ring 17.

forming seats for the reception of the lower edge of the fume-collecting hood. Said hood terminates in a tubular extension14, within The ring is provided with vertical openings or sockets 18, adapted to receive the lower parts of vertical guide-rods 19, which are fastened to the suspension-beam 13. The suspension-beam also supports a hanger 21, which is provided with a sleeve 22, a bushing 23, and a gland 24. The bushing is constructed of electric insulating material, and it is confined within the sleeve and gland in a position to engage with the anode-carrier 12, thus electrically insulating the anode-carrier from the metallic parts of the guide-box and the hanger. The anode-carrier is provided at its upper end with a head 25, which is socketed to receive a conductor of the electric circuit, said head being provided with an eye for the attachment of a suspension cable, rope, or chain 26, that passes over a guide-sheave 27 on the suspension-beam 13. The suspensioncable has a drop-weight (not shown) serving as a'counterpoise for the anode and its carrier. The bearing-ring 17 has lugs 28, to which are fastened weight-carrying chainsor ropes 29, the latter being reeved through suitable sheaves 30, also supported on the beam 13. The bearing-ring 17 has a-guide-box 31 for the anodecarrier, and this guide-box is arranged centrally within said ring to provide openings or slots 32 for the exit of the fumes and gases from the hood. Said guide-box consists of a sleeve 33, a gland 34, and an insulating-bushing 35, and this bushing is in electrical contact with the anode-carrier 12 to electrically insulate said anode-carrier from the guidebox. The bearing-plate 15 has a ball-race for the reception of antifriction balls or rolls 37, adapted to support a revoluble carrier 38. This carrier has a series of peripheral gearteeth adapted to mesh with a spur gear-pinion on the upper end of the shaft 41. Said shaft is journaled in a frame 42, and it is provided with a driving-pulley 48, adapted to receive a suitable belt. The carrier'38 carries a sectional head 44 44, and said sections of the head are provided with ears or lugs 45, which are hinged at 46 to the carrier 38. The in ner'edges of the hinged inclosure members are recessed at 39 to form the central opening in the closure or head for the passage of the anode 11 and its carrier 12.

It will be understood that no claim is herein made to the construction of the electrical furnace hereinbefore described and illustrated more particularly by Fig. 2, because such furnace forms the subject-matter of a divisional application filed by us January 18, 1898, Serial No. 667,101.

The carbureter 2 consists of a vertical tank 50. As shown by Figs. 1 and 3, this tank 50 consists of a cylindrical vessel closed at its upper and lower ends by suitable heads; but the detail construction of the tank is not material, because the tank may consist of metallic sections and heads riveted together.

The upper head of the carbureter-tank is constructed to accommodate a series of pipes, which will be presently described in detail, and said carbureter-tank is equipped with a liquid-gage 51 and with a pressure-gage 52, which gages may be of any suitable or preferred COIlSllllLlCillOI]. The pipe 53 is connected to the upper head of the tank 50 and with a suitable supply-tank containing hydrocarbon fluid, such as naphtha, and said pipe 53 thus constitutes the supply-pipe for renewing the supply of hydrocarbon liquid to the tank 50 as may be required, said pipe 53 being provided with a stop-cock 53 to cut off communication with the supply-tank and the tank 50. Between the tank 50, containing the bath or liquid hydrocarbon, and the retort 6 of the electrical furnace is arranged an ai r-p um p 54.

In the drawings we have shown this air-pump as of the rotary-blower variety; butthe style of air-pump which may be employed is not material. Said air-pu mp 54 has its dischargenozzle connected with the hydrocarbon-tank 50 for the liquid hydrocarbon and with one series of heating pipes or coils within the furnace-retort by a pipe, the sections of which are indicated at 55 55. The pipe 55 is connected to the discharge of the pump 54, and leads thence to the head of the tank 50, and terminates in a downwardly-extend ingbranch 55 which passes through the tank 50 nearly to the bottom thereof, so as to discharge air into the liquid hydrocarbon contained in the tank 50. The section 55 of the air-pipe is connected with one series of pipes 56 within to the wall of the retort 6, and thus the pipes 57 are arranged within the air-pipes 56 so as to be exposed directly to the heat evolved by the electric are within the electrical furnace. The outer series of pipes 56 are connected with the pipe 55, which leads to theair-pump 54, and they thus constitute a heater in which the ten 1 perature of atmospheric air maybe raised to the required point before the heated air passes through the pump into the liquid hydrocarbon contained within the tank 50 and carbureter. One of the pipes constituting the series of air-heating pipes 56 has an open inlet-mouth 58, which is formed by a stuflingbox. (Indicated in Fig. 6 ofthe drawings.) This stuffing-box consists of an interiorlyflanged casing, which is screwed on the open upper end of one of the pipes 56, and within said casing is seated a pair of parallel plates or disks 59", between which is a packing of asbestos, wool, or other suitable filtering material, as indicated at 59 in Fig. 6. The

stuffing-box 58 is open or exposed for the free ingress of air to the series of air-heating pipes 56, and for this purpose the disks 59 are per:-

forated to provide for the free ingress of air to the pipe 56. The employment of the perforated disks 59 is important in that the upper disk prevents the filtering material from escaping from the box 58 into the contents of the retort-chamber, and the filtering material contained within said stu fling-box 58 prevents refuse and dirt from being drawn into the pipes 56 to clog the latter and retard or prevent the passage of air through the heating coils or pipes and the air-pump to the carburetor-tank 50. lVhen the pump 54 is in operation, air is drawn by suction through the stuffing-box 5S, thence traverses the heating coils or pipes 56, and thence travels through the pipes 55 55 and the air-pump to the branch 55, by which the heated air is discharged into the tank 50 below the surface of the naphtha or the hydrocarbon liquid contained therein.

To one of the inner series of pipes 57 is coupled a gas-inlet pipe 59, one end of which is attached to the upperhead of the tank 50 above the level of the liquid hydrocarbon therein, and said pipe 59 is provided with a regulating-valve 59, which may be closed to shut off communication between the tank 50 and the gas-heating pipes 57 within the retort-chamber. The pipe 59 connects, as described, to one terminal pipe forming a part of the circulating heating-coil 57, while to the other terminal pipe of said heating-coil 57 is connected a return gas-pipe 60, which leads from the electrical furnace to the general storagetank 5.

By heating the air in the series of coils 56 and forcing it through the hydrocarbon liq-v uid contained within the tank 50 the air is carbureted by passing through naphtha or other hydrocarbon liquid contained within said tank. The carbureted air from the tank 50 is conducted by the pipe 59 through the gas-heating coils or pipes 57, and in its passage through said pipes or coils 57 the .heat

decomposes the naphtha-vapor and insures a chemical combination of the naphtha-vapor with the atmospheric air, thus producing a fixed gas, which may be conveyed by the pipe 60 to the gas-holder 5. The pressure-gage 52 indicates the atmospheric pressure of the air contained within the tank 50 and forced therein by the pump 54, and in event of any clogging of the air-heating pipes or of the pump an increased pressure of the carbureted air contained within the tank 50 will be indicated by the gage The liquid-gage 51 serves to advise the operator of the quantity of liquid or hydrocarbon contained within the tank 50.

The section 55 of the pipe between the pump and the tank 50 is provided with a suitable check-valve 61, and the section-pipe 55 between the pump and the heating coils or pipes 56 is provided with a check-valve 62 and two-way stop-cock 63. This stop-cock 63 is useful in that it provides means for cutting off communication between the heating-coil 56 and the pump 54, and said stop-cock may be and water maybe admitted for the generation of the acetylene gas. This tank 65 may be constructed in any suitable way, and we prefer to provide said tank with two manholes and covers therefor. The upper manhole 66 is provided for the purpose of renewing the supply of calcium carbid in the tank 65, and the lower manhole 67 enables convenient access to be had to the bottom of the tank for removing the spent carbid therefrom. To the bottom of the tank 65 of the gas-generator is attached a petcock 68, by which surplus water at the bottom of the tank 65 may be drawn off as occasion may require. A

valved water-inlet pipe 69 is attached to the head of the tank 65, and to the inner end of said water-pipe 69 is located a sprayer 70, which is suspended in a position above the calcium carbid contained within said tank 65 for the purpose of uniformly distributing or spraying water thereon. Said tank 65 is provided with a blow-off cock 71, by which the atmospheric air contained within said tank 65 may be discharged therefrom. The acetylene gas generated in the tank 65 by the chemical union of calcium carbid with water is conveyed from the tank 65 by a pipe 72, which discharges said acetylene gas into the gasometer 4, or the acetylene gas may be con-- veyed by pipes to the carbnreter-tank 50, to which it is discharged below the surface of the liquid hydrocarbon, as shown by Figs. 1

and 3, in which case the pipe 79 is extended into the tank 50 to terminate a suitable distance above the tank-bottom. The pipe 72 is provided witha controlling-valve 73 to cut off communication between the generatortank 65 and the gasomet-er 4.

We have equipped our plant with means whereby the gas due to the saturation of hot atmospheric air with naphtha-vapors may have its illuminating capacity increased by the addition of acetylene gas to the carbureted air, and to attain this object We provide agaspump 74 and connections between the hydro-. carbon-liquid tank 50 and the gasometer 4. As shown by Fig. 1, the gas-pump 74 is situated between the tank 50 and the gasometer 4, and said'pump 74 is connected by a pipe 75 with the feed-pipe 76, extending upwardly.

within the gasometer 4, said pipe 75 having a stop-cock 77 and a check-valve 78. The connection between the pump 74 and the tank 50 is by means of a pipe 79, having a checkvalve 80, said pipe 79 opening through the tank 50 below the level of the hydrocarbon liquid therein.

All these parts being assembled and connected as described and as shown in the drawings, the method of manufacturing calcium carbid and illuminating-gas is as follows: The anode-carrier 12 is lowered until the anode 11 comes in contact with the oathode in the bottom of the furnace, after which the closure 44 44 is opened and the chamber of the furnace-retort is filled with a mixture suitable for manufacturing calcium carbid. The cover is now closed and the electric current is turned on through the conductors 1O 10, said current passing through the anodeholder 12, the anode, the cathode, and the rod 9. By lifting the anode and its carrier upward the arc is established between the cathode and the proximal end of the anode thereto, and the heat generated by the electric arc fuses the materials within the retortchamber to efiect the chemical union thereof and produce calcium carbid. The carrier 38 is rotated by the shaft 41 to insure traveling movement of the plow or stirrer 39 in the materials contained within the retort, and as the mixture fuses under the action of the electric arc the plow or stirrer 39 continuallythrows fresh mixture within the zone of the electric arc. While the process of manufacturing calcium carbid is being conducted, the system of pipes 56 and 57 are heated by the heat evolved from the electric arc. The air-pump 54 being set in motion, air is drawn by suction through the pipes 56 to be heated therein, and thus forced in the heated condition in to the tank 50, containing liquid hydrocarbon. The heated air is discharged below the surface of the liquid hydrocarbon and bubbles up through said liquid-absorbing naphtha-vapors in its passage, so that it becomes saturated with the naphtha-vapor. The air is thus carbureted and emerges from said tank 50 through the pipe 59 which conducts it through the pipes 57,the heat of which decomposes the naphthavapor and produces a fixed gas, which is conveyed by the pipe 60 to the storage-gasometer 5.

\Vhen it is desired to produce a gas having high illuminating properties, we combine acetylene gas with carbureted air. Under these conditions the air-pump 54 and the gaspump 74 are operated simultaneously, the one to force heated atmospheric air into the liquid-hydrocarbon tank 50 and the other to discharge acetylene gas from the gasometer 4 to the said tank 50 below the level of the liquidbath therein, thus allowing carbureted air and acetylene gas to combine mechanically by intermingling together in the tank 50. Subsequent to the mixture of the carbureted air and the acetylene gas the mixed gases pass through the pipe 59 into and through either series of pipes or coils 57, by which the gasesare fixed and decomposed, resulting in the production of a fixed gas of high illuminating properties, which may be conducted the retort of the electrical furnace, and when the materials have been thoroughly fused and result in producing the desired product of calcium carbid the shaft 41 is arrested, the electric current is switched off, the fume-collecting hood and anode are raised, and the cover is opened topermit the product to be removed by suitable mechanical appliancesas, for instance, by a crane and tongs. The removal of the calcium carbid from the retort and subsequent charging of the retort with fresh materials do not interfere with the generation of the illuminating-gas.

Although we have described the employment of independent series of heating-pipes, it is evident that heating-coils may be substituted for such heating-pipes. In the apparatus shown the series of pipes 56 are for heating air, while the pipes 57 serve to heat and decompose the gas; but, if desired, the connections between the tank, the air-pump, and said independent series of pipes may be reversed should it be desired to vaporize a low grade of hydrocarbon oil which may be found to be too difficult to vaporize, because such hydrocarbon is practically non-volatile, or, in other words, the outer series of pipes 56 may be used to heat the gas, while the inner series of pipes may be used for heating the air. of pipes 57 may be connected with the pump and thence to the tank, while the'outer series of pipes may be connected with the pipe 59, which leads from the tank 50 to the furnace, thus enabling the temperature of the air to be raised to a very high degree, because the inner series of pipes are subjected to greater heat from the electric arc.

According to ourimprovement in the manufacture of illuminatinggas we heat the air before forcing the same into a bath of hydrocarbon liquid, and by this preliminary heating step the air is better adapted to vaporize the hydrocarbon and to absorb the hydrocarbon. By our process of treating gas by mechanically intermingling heated carbureted air with acetylene gas and subsequently decomposing the hydrocarbon vapor in the presence of the acetylene gas by passing the commingled gases through the superheated coils the gas is dehydrated and enriched before it is carried to the storage-gasometer.

Our apparatus is adapted for the manufacture of difierent kinds of gasas, for example, a gas of high illuminating quality or a gas rich in carbon for heating'purposes. The gas formed by the combination of carbureted air with acetylene gas is especially adapted for city lighting; but the gas produced by carbureted air and subsequently fixing the carbureted air by passing it through highlyheated coils or pipes is of a low illuminating quality and is well adapted to be used as fuel for heating and other purposes.

By immersing the discharge end of the Under these conditions the inner series acetylene-gas pipe 72 in the hydrocarbon-tank I the acetylene gas is caused to pass through the hydrocarbon-bath, and in its ascent it absorbsvapor from the liquid hydrocarbon. In the manufacture of illuminatinggas by the production of acetylene gas and the subsequent decomposition of a hydrocarbon vapor commingled with the acetylene gas we do not find it necessary to force hot air into the hydrocarbon-tanks nor do we find it necessary to subject the gas formed by the combination of acetylene gas with hydrocarbon vapor to the intense heat in the inner series of pipes or coils 57, which are situated 7 in close proximity to the arc in the electrical furnace. lVe' therefore propose to close the valve 63 in the pipe 55 between the air-pump 54 and the pipes or coils 56, so as to out OK the air supplied to the pump 54, to couple the pipe 59 to one end of the outer series of pipes or coils 56, and to likewise couple the offbearing pipe to the other end of the pipes or coils 56. Now when the gas-pump74 is operated the acetylene gas is forced through the pipe 7 9 to be discharged to the liquid in the tank 50, and as the gas rises through this liquid it absorbs vapor from the liquid. Such gas is conducted by the pipe 59 to the coils 56 and thence through the pipes or coils 56 to be fixed thereby before it is discharged to the pipe 60, by which the gas is conveyed to the gasometer'5. Gas made in this manner is especially adapted for illuminating railway-coaches and steamers. By passing the acetylene gas mixed with hydrocarbon vapor through the coils or pipes 56 the gas is not subjected to the great heat which it would receive it passed through the pipes 57. Hence the carbon is not decomposed when made in the manner described and the illuminating quality of the ,gas is not injured.

According to our improvement-in the process of manufacturing illuminating and heating gas we employ elements which of themselves possess illuminating and heating properties. Naphtha-vapor when fixed is an illuminant of no mean order, and when commingled or surcharged with acetylene and the resulting product subsequently fixed a gas is produced capable of brilliant illumination. The act of vaporizing the naphtha-bath by forcing a current of air therethrough and combining or charging acetylene with such naphtha-vapor provides in the gas a certain percentage of oxygen derived from the atmospheric air, which supports combustion and increases the heating effect of the gas, and by the combination of the two illuminantsmaphtha-vapor and acetylene, with atmospheric air we are able to produce a gas which is an illuminant of a high order, burns with brilliancy and freedom, and generates a high degree of heat. In our process of producing gas we use a naphtha-bath which produces vapors of benzin and naphthalin, and it is probable that a combination occurs between the hydrogen of the acetylene and the vapors of benzin and naphthalin as follows:

2 2+ G G'i CIOHB: 12 14' This combination forms a fixed gas having probably the formula noted, (0 11 a certain percentage of the carbon and hydrogen being carried off in the treatment without fixed combination.

It will be seen that we may couple the hydrocarbon-tank in series with either of the series of pipes or coils 56 or 57. When carbureting air to produce a low quality of gas, we employ the pump 54 between the pipes or coils 56 and the tank 50, so as to heat the air in the pipes 56, then force hot air through the tank, and then superheat the carbureted air to produce a fixed gas by passing it through the superheating-coils 57, or the cook 63 may be closed and the pump 74 be brought into service to force acetylene gas through the liquid in the tank 50, from whence the gas is conducted to the pipes or coils 56 and thence to the gasometer 5 through the pipe 60.

The air-pump and'the gas-pump may be of any suitable construction, and the gasometers are the ordinary devices used for the storage of gas.

lVe are aware that changes in the form and proportion of parts and the details of construction may be made by a skilled mechanic without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages. of the invention. therefore reserve the right to make such modifications and alterations as clearly fall within the scope of the invent-ion.

Having thus described the invention,what we claim as new is Y 1. A plant for the manufacture of gas com prising an electrical furnace or retort having means for producing an electric arc therein, a carbureter, an acetylene-gas generator op eratively connected with said carbureter for discharging acetylene gas into a hydrocarbon liquid contained within the carbureter, and heating and fixing coils or pipes situated within said electrical retort or furnace and operatively connected with the carbureter to receive the commingled hydrocarbon vapors and acetylene gas therefrom, substantially as described.

2. Aplant for the manufacture of illuminat i ng-gas comprising an electrical retort or furnace having means for producing an electric arc therein, a carbureter, an acetylene-gas generator, a forcing apparatus connected with said carbureter and the gas-generator to receive acetylene gas from the latter and to discharge the same into a hydrocarbon liquid in the former, and a heating and fixing'pipe or coil housed within said furnace or retort and operatively connected with the carbureter to receive therefrom acetylene gas charged with hydrocarbon vapors, substantially as described.

3. Aplant for the manufacture of illuminat ing-gas comprising an electric furnace or retort having means for producing an electric arc therein, an acetylene-gas generator, a carbureter adapted to contain a bath of liquid hydrocarbon,- a gas-pump operatively connected with said gas'generator and discharging into the hydrocarbon liquid contained within said carbureter, and heating coils or pipes operatively connected with the carbureter and arranged within said retort or furnace around the electric-arc-forming means therein, substantially as described.

4. In a plant for the manufacture of illuminating-gas, the combination of a furnace, an acetylene-generator, a carbureter, and independent heating-pipes situated within the furnace, one pipe being connected with the carb ureter to supply air thereto and the other pipe receivingcommingled acetylene and carbureted air for circulation through the furnace, substantially as described.

5. In a plant for the manufacture of illuminating-gas, the combination of a furnace, a carbureter, an acetylenegenerator, independent heating-pipes situated within said furnace, a forcin g mechanism connected with one heating-pipe and the carbureter, and another forcing mechanism connected with the acetylene-generator, the carbureter and the other heating-pipe, substantially as described.

6. In a plant for the manufacture of illuminating-gas, the combination of a furnace, a carbureter,two series of independent heatingpipes situated concentric one with the other within said furnace and with one series'of pipes connected to the carbureter, an acetylene-generator also connected with the carbureter, and connections from the carbureter to the other series of heating-pipes in said furnace, substantially as described.

7. In a plant for the manufacture of illuminating-gas, the combination with a furnace and a carbureter, of an' acetylene-generator, a pump connected to said acetylene-generator and the carbureter, a series of heating-pipes situated in the furnace, a pump connected with said heating-pipes and the carbureter to discharge air to the latter, and an independent series of heating-pipes also situated within the furnace and connected with the carbureter to receive commingled acetylene and carbureted air therefrom, substantially as de scribed.

8. A plant for the manufacture of illuminating-gas comprising an electric furnace or retort having means for producingan electric arc therein, a carbureter, two series of independent heating coils or pipes situated within said retort or furnace around the arc-forming appliances therein and with one series of pipes or coils arranged within the other series of coils, an acetylene-gas generator, independently-operating pumps each connected to said carbureter and one of said pumps also connected with the acetylene-gas generator and the other pump also connected to one of the heating-pipes within the furnace or retort,

and a separate pipe connection between the other heating-pipe and the carbureter, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a furnace or retort, a carbureter-tank, and a heating-coil within said furnace, of a forcing-pump connected with said carbureter, a pipe connecting said pump and the heating-coil, and a two-way valve in said connecting-pipe between the coil and the pump and adapted for the admission of coolatmospheric air to the pump, substantially as described.

- 10. The method of manufacturing illuminating-gas which consists in generating acetylene, commingling or surcharging the acetylene subsequent to its generation with naphtha-vapors; and fixing the combined acetylene and naphtha-vapors byheating thesame, substantially as described.

11. The method of manufacturing illuminatin g-gas which consists in Vaporizing'naphtha by passing a current of air through a liquid-naphtha bath producing acetylene independently from the naphtha-Vapors; combining the naphtha-Vapors and acetylene; and subsequently fixing the combined naphthavapors and acetylene in the presence of each other by heating the same, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereunto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

HILLIARY ELDRIDGE.

DANIEL JOHNSON CLARK. SYLVAIN BLUM.

Witnesses:

A. FERRIN, B. I. WILLcoXoN. 

